California fisherman fined for illegal crabbing

A California commercial fisherman was ordered to pay $12,500 in fines for illegally catching crabs in a marine reserve off the San Mateo County coast, the district attorney’s office said Wednesday.

Mark Russo, owner of the fishing boat Freeland, allegedly violated the California Marine Life Protection Act by setting crab traps in the Montara State Marine Reserve in December 2011, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Wardens from the state Department of Fish and Game seized the illegal traps, which at the time reportedly contained 58 Dungeness crabs.